Gasal et al: Prosecution Completes Evidence Presentation

The Trial Chamber allowed the Defence teams of the four indictees to take some time to review the material. In due course a hearing will be scheduled for them to begin presenting evidence.

During evidence presentation the State Prosecution introduced more than 50 military documents, most of which were official notes by the military police, and combat and daily reports made by the Third Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina and evidence related to the indictees’ membership in the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Prosecution charges Gasal, Kukavica, Handzic and Dautovic with having participated in crimes against Bosnian Croats, who were held in detention camps in the Bugojno region during 1993 and 1994.

The indictment alleges that Gasal and Kukavica were responsible for detainees held in “Iskra” detention camp, while Handzic, former Assistant Commander for Security with the 307th Brigade of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Dautovic, a former member of the Joint Headquarters of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bugojno, participated in planning and carrying out the capture of civilians in that town.

When the Prosecution sought to include in the case file a list of detained civilians from Bugojno, Fahrija Karkin, Defence attorney of Handzic, objected, questioning the authenticity of this document.

“I would like to ask you not to include unsigned and unverified documents in the case file as material evidence. This is not done before any court. No court would accept such documents,” Karkin said.

The Trial Chamber accepted Karkin’s argument and declined to include the unsigned documents as material evidence. Prosecutor Slavica Terzic said she would obtain original documents by the next hearing.

During the course of its evidence presentation the State Prosecution introduced more than 450 pieces of material evidence.